The temples were almost destroyed, and the materials had been taken away for building purposes. There were, however, fragments of stones covered with hieroglyphic characters still remaining there. I went with him to look at some idols that had been brought from the ruins. One of these at once arrested my attention. It was made of hard sandstone, and was about three feet high. The head was broken off, and had been taken away to prevent the Indians from worshipping it. I at first thought that the idol must have been made subsequent to the Spanish occupation of this part of Mexico, for by the costume it seemed to be intended to represent a Spanish cavalier. In front of the waist belt there was a small head surmounting a rudely shaped cross. It appeared as if the native sculptor had wished to make the image of a knight holding before him a head, such as is not infrequently seen in early sacred pictures.[76] But although this was the vague impression made upon the mind by an examination of the front of the statue, it was evident upon looking at the reverse side that the date of its sculpture was of a much earlier period, for it was covered with an upright line of hieroglyphics of the same character as those carved upon the idols at Copan. I examined with care the details of the figure, and made sketches of the front and back, as I thought that it would be useful to preserve a slight memorial of this idol which may eventually share the fate of many others and be destroyed. [Illustration: Indian statue. Ocosingo.] Two larger idols were placed against the wall of the church. These were also headless. Don Remigio showed me several long stones that were used for the door steps at the entrance of some of the largest of the huts occupied by Ladinos and which had been taken from the ruins. One of these, made of limestone, was covered with deeply carved hieroglyphics still quite clear and distinct. In front of one of the dwellings there was a flat stone measuring about three feet square. On the surface of this stone were two figures. A woman in an imploring attitude was presenting a cup to a man, who was standing up and bending forward to receive the offering. The wall of an adjoining house was partly built with stones also taken from the temples. They had a perfectly smooth surface and were each about two feet long, one foot wide and two inches thick. Similar stones were scattered about the pueblo, and many were used as stepping stones across the stream that flowed eastwards to join the waters of the river Usamacinta. The church, from its size and manner of construction, had been evidently of considerable importance. It was then in ruins and the roof had fallen. As there were no funds available for its restoration it was deserted.